Developing meaningful and sustainable peacebuilding efforts is challenging in times of budget cuts, volatile environments and increasingly politicized views of peace. Yet amid uncertainty and change, the need for safety, dignity and wellbeing remains constant, particularly for civilians living in conflict-affected areas. In Ukraine, placing social cohesion at the center of community-level efforts has created fertile ground for peace: despite a precarious situation, these initiatives persist and continue to grow.
Bahá’ís recognize the importance of “sustained effort to build communities that offer hope in place of despair,1 unity in place of conflict.” As in many peacebuilding efforts undertaken by Bahá’í communities, individuals and local action have been central to progress. When people come together in a spirit of unity,2 and take practical steps to improve their surroundings, they can focus their energies on contributing to the wellbeing of others. With this base, they create the relationships and habits of cooperation on which peaceful communities depend.
In Irpin, the opening of the VOLIA Community Center in September of this year offers a tangible example of what these efforts can achieve and reflects how sustained grassroots engagement can develop into a lasting resource for peace for entire communities. This new community center is the result of more than two years of locally rooted activities, growing participation and relationships built around a shared desire to contribute to community life, even as the conflict rages on.
Today, funding comes from efforts initially taken to assist Ukrainian refugees here in Switzerland and has gradually developed into a bridge to support initiatives in Ukraine. Creative workshops and study groups organized by Bahá’ís and their local contacts bring people together to envision a secure and peaceful future. Local organizations and institutions support these initiatives. The Irpin refugee center, for example, opened its doors to conduct activities, as its members saw the significance of creating opportunities for connection, unity and joy among displaced Ukrainians.
For the Bahá’ís pioneering this work in Ukraine, one of the clearest indications of impact is found in relationships that have deepened and in shifts in how people envision their future. Community centers are still rare in this region. But the hope and aspirations born of this community-building work revealed just how much a place like this was needed. Such changes in attitudes and vision are difficult to quantify. Peace cannot be understood simply as a measurable output, but as an ongoing process of building trust, fostering participation and enabling people to take ownership of their communities. These are the foundations that strengthen resilience and enable communities to shape their own future. VOLIA’s example in Ukraine suggests that even in a volatile environment, small acts of participation can add up into lasting impact.
For those back in Switzerland interested in learning about experiences of life and community-building in Ukraine, Bahá’í pioneers in Irpin regularly present this progression and share stories and reflections in punctual online gatherings.
[1] The Universal House of Justice, “Ridvan Message.” April 2024. The Bahá’í World Centre.
[1] Unity is defined here as love, and implying diversity, not uniformity. Writings and Utterances of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Part II, 1901, pp. 140,148.